rosary
workshop - prayerNINE
CHOIRS of
ANGELSwho
are they and what do they do?

GABRIEL, THE GOLDEN LOCKED
ANGELThe image above
is an icon of The Archangel Gabriel from Novgorod called 'Golden Locked
Angel (State of Russian Museum). Below you will see the hierarchy of the
angels and what they do - from those closest to the throne of God to those
closest to the earth.

ANGELS and
WHAT THEY DO HIERARCHY of ANGELSThe rich imagery
of Isaiah reveals that the Seraphim are closest to the throne of God. This
means that they perceive God in the richest way possible for a created
being and thus they have an unmatched intellect, will and love. Below,
icon "Two Archangels with Deesis (Christ)" from the Dormition Cathedral
(Moscow) late 1180s+FIRST CHOIR1. Seraphim, 2.
Cherubin, 3. Thrones - closest to heaven concern themselves with contemplating
the glory of God. It is the 6-winged Seraphim who sing the Sanctus, "Holy,
Holy, Holy Lord God of Hosts" (Isaias 6:3). +

+++ 1. SERAPHIM
++Seraphim (singular
"Seraph"), mentioned in Isaiah 6:1-7,[3] serve as the caretakers of God's
throne and continuously shout praises: "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of
hosts. All the earth is filled with His Glory." The name Seraphim means
"the burning ones." It is said that the charity of the Seraphim burns like
white heat in a flame. The Seraphim have six wings; two covering their
faces, two covering their genitals ("feet"), and two with which they fly.

++ 2. CHERUBIM ++Cherubim have
four faces: one of each a man, an ox, a lion, and a griffon vulture. They
have four conjoined wings covered with eyes, and they have ox's feet. Cherubim
guard the way to the tree of life in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:24)[4]
and the throne of God (Ezekiel 28:14-16).[5] -- The cherubim are mentioned
in Genesis 3:24;[4] Exodus 25:17-22; 2 Chronicles 3:7-14; Ezekiel 10:12–14,[6]
28:14-16;[5] 1 Kings 6:23–28;[7] and Revelation 4:6-8. Cherubim are also
the angels often depicted as babies with wings in Christian art.

++ 3. THRONES ++The "Thrones"
(Gr. thronos) or Elders, are a class of celestial beings mentioned by Paul
of Tarsus in Colossians 1:16 (New Testament). They are living symbols of
God's justice and authority, and have as one of their symbols the throne.
These high celestial beings appear to be mentioned again in Revelation
11:16. Also seeEzekiel 10:17, and vision of Daniel 7 - 9). The Thrones
are said to be the way by which God accomplishes his judgements (St. Gregory).+SECOND CHOIR4. Domininations,
5. Virtues, 6. Powers. The second order of angels are charged with
governing and ordering the laws of the created universe.+

+++ 4. DOMINATIONS
++ The "Dominions"
(lat. dominatio, plural dominationes, also translated from the Greek term
kyriotites as "Lordships") are presented as the hierarchy of celestial
beings "Lordships" in the De Coelesti Hierarchia. The Dominions,
regulate the duties of lower angels. It is only with extreme rarity that
they make themselves physically known to humans and are believed to look
like beautiful humans with feathered wings as shown in art. They are also
the angels who preside over nations.

++ 5.
VIRTUES ++The "Virtues"
or "Strongholds" lie beyond the ophanim (Thrones/Wheels). Their primary
duty is to supervise the movements of the heavenly bodies in order to ensure
that the cosmos remains in order. The term also appears to be linked to
the attribute "might", from a Greek root. In Ephesians 1:21, which is also
translated as "Virtue". They are charged with giving the power with
which to accomplish the ordering of Nature.

++ 6.
POWERS ++The "Powers"
(lat. potestas (f), pl. potestates), or "Authorities", from the Greek exousies,
(see Greek root in Eph 3:10) appear to collaborate, in power and authority,
with the Principalities (Rulers). They are bearers of conscience and keepers
of history. They are also the warrior angels created to be completely loyal
to God. Their duty is to oversee the distribution of power among
humankind, hence their name. Finally, the choir of Powers are given the
duty to order out how to execute what has been commanded. The choir of
Powers direct the lower choirs on how to order creation. +THIRD CHOIR7. Principalities,
8. Archangels, 9. Angels (closest to earth) concern themselves with creation
and are the most familliar to us. +

+++ 7. PRINCIPALITIES
++"Principalities"
(lat. principatus, pl. principat?s) also translated as "Princedoms" and
"Rulers", from the Greek arche (see Greek root in Eph 3:10), appear to
collaborate, in power and authority with the Powers (Authorities). Shown
wearing a crown and carrying a sceptre, their duty is also said to be to
carry out the orders given to them by the Dominions and bequeath blessings
to the material world. Their task is to oversee groups of people. They
are the educators and guardians of the realm of earth. Like beings related
to the world of the germinal ideas, they are said to inspire living things
to many things such as art or science. Principalities are the leaders of
the last order, and direct the actual implementation of God’s will.

++ 8.
ARCHANGELS ++ The word "arch-angel"
comes from the Greek (archang?l?s), meaning chief angel, a translation
of the Hebrew (rav-mal'ákh) [9] It derives from the Greek arch?,
meaning to be first in rank or power; which means messenger. The word is
only used twice in the New Testament: 1 Thessalonians 4:16 and Jude 1:9.
Only archangels Michael and Gabriel are mentioned by name in the New Testament.

++ 9. ANGELS
++The "angels",
(malakhim Greek for messengers), are the lowest order of the angels, and
the most recognized and are most concerned with the affairs of living things.
In this category of angels, there are many different kinds with different
functions. Archangels and Angels actually carry out and execute what is
to be done. They are the messengers to mankind. This is why angels (such
as Gabriel and Raphael) are the choir sent to communicate with man. (see
wiki)

~ ANGELS in
the BIBLE ~

ANGELS MENTIONED 227 TIMES IN SACRED SCRIPTUREAngel (Hebrew:
malach/malachim; Greek: aggelos/aggelois; Latin: angelus/ angeli) means
messenger or one who is deputed. It can refer to angels of the lowest choir,
who have the greatest interaction with mankind, to the angelic nature of
any spiritual creature who comes to man in God´s name, or even to
a human messenger. See a full list at Raphael.Net. In Genesis alone:

GENESIS 19:1
The two angels reached Sodom in the evening, as Lot was sitting at the
gate of Sodom. When Lot saw them, he got up to greet them; and bowing down
with his face to the ground, +GENESIS 19:12
Then the angels said to Lot: "Who else belongs to you here? Your sons (sons-in-law)
and your daughters and all who belong to you in the city--take them away
from it! +GENESIS 19:15
As dawn was breaking, the angels urged Lot on, saying, "On your way! Take
with you your wife and your two daughters who are here, or you will be
swept away in the punishment of the city." +GENESIS 48:16
The Angel who has delivered me from all harm, bless these boys That in
them my name be recalled, and the names of my fathers, Abraham and Isaac,
And they may become teeming multitudes upon the earth!" +

+The image above
is The Assumption of the Virgin, 15c by Francesco Botticini. (National
Gallery of London) It shows the 9 Choirs of Angels. Note the three layers,
each containing a multitude of angels in a mixed array of colors. +for a complete
list of scripture on angels:RAPHAEL.NET

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